Beutepanzer Whippet

[Stevesopwith]

Hi everyone.

For my debut posting I'd like to give an account of my project to build the Takom Whippet as A220, captured by the Germans and restored to running condition as 'Repair Job 111' or 'Freikorps 53'.

Tankograd 1004, Beute-Tanks Vol 2, by Rainer Strasheim was the main inspiration, but 'Tank Encyclopedia-Whippet' and 'Landships Whippet Interior' provided a lot of extra information.

Following 'new ownership', the most obvious change is the German three colour camouflage; but there is more to it than that. Some parts, like the tow-cable hooks and the front track canvas support angle strips, are missing, and the stowage box mountings have been modified. I also plan to add a representation of the interior, and leave the door open.
A more significant 'finger print' is the set of angle iron reinforcing strips bolted to the ends of the track plates, both inside and out. This modification was carried out while in British service, and doesn't seem to have been common.
Views of both sides show a rather random arrangement, with different angles, lengths and number of bolts.

I modelled these using Evergreen 2mm angle strip, with the flange filed back to about 0.8mm. The bolt holes were drilled 0.6mm, before gluing to the kit parts, ( in case I made a mistake ). The holes were then re-drilled through the plates, and 0.6mm hex bolts ( from 'Prime Miniatures ) with heads thinned to about 0.5mm, were superglued in place.

The picture shows my progress so far



I shall complete the other side when fresh supplies of bolts arrive, then work through the assembly instructions for a while, before making arrangements for the interior structure.

[Guest]

Nice I’ve had an Emhar Whippet for about 20 years that I began to correct but then lost interest in. This looks to be a far better kit.

[Jim R]

Hi Steve
Welcome to the forum.
Great idea for a model. Sounds as if you have done your research and you're off to a good start.
Jim

[Airborne01]

Welcome Steve! This looks very interesting - and different!
Steve

[Stevesopwith]

Thanks for the welcome.

Both track units are now complete. I decided to glue the rollers to their axles, and the axle ends to the inner plates... made it slightly less fiddly to line everything up.

By contrast, the tracks were a pleasure... a quick clean up of the minute moulding pip, and the links just snapped into place, with no breakages.



It is however a tricky job joining up the track run over the rollers... so I made a joiner link to allow repeated assembly easier and safer.
I cut the pins from one link, and glued short lengths of 1 x 1.5mm styrene strip between the flanges. I slid the next link over the strips, and drilled 0.8mm through the flange holes. A piece of 0.8mm wire was then passed through the hole, joining the links.



Pictures of these vehicles show varying amounts of track sag, and I wanted to match my model to this specific example.
The completed track runs have a 'stretch' of about 5mm. This gives the possibility of controlling the track tension by compressing portions of straight track and applying liquid cement, thus 'shortening' the length of run. The track joiner makes track removal and replacement very easy while adjustments are being made.

Next up will be the assembly of the main hull parts.

[adt70hk]

Steve,

Coming on very nicely indeed.

Well done.

Andrew

[Dave Ward]

so I made a joiner link to allow repeated assembly easier and safer.

Steve,
good idea - it's often that last link which causes so much grief!!
Dave

[scottie3158]

Steve,
It's a warm welcome from me and what a great build to join with. That is a great idea on the tracks. I will continue to follow along.

[Guest]

It is however a tricky job joining up the track run over the rollers... so I made a joiner link to allow repeated assembly easier and safer.

Good idea, on a tank like this it’s not like you can leave the sprocket and idler detachable so you can put on and remove the track.

However …



… you assembled the links in the wrong order :tongue-out:

[Jim R]

Hi Steve
Coming on nicely. Good idea for the track join.
Jim

[Stevesopwith]

Thanks everyone... glad you like the track joiner.

Cheers Jakko, for a second it was like...??? then the penny dropped. Good one. :smiling3:

[Stevesopwith]

Inspired by what I've been seeing on this forum, I've tried to add a bit of refinement to my model.

I replaced the moulded spud rails with new ones cut from 010" nickel silver, with Scale Hardware rivets for fixing bolts.





Next, I cut a floor for the fighting compartment from 1 mm plastikard. This is removeable for now, while I provide further details. The Landships website has a set of excellent photos of the interior... so I've already made a representation of the machine gun racks just inside the door.



I plan to add the driver's seat and controls. the starter handle, the Autovac petrol cylinder, and the three ammunition racks.

[scottie3158]

Steve,
Excellent additions they will make all the difference.

[Guest]

Mind if I plug something I put together years ago? (Scroll to the bottom for the Whippet book.) That started because I wanted to build the Emhar Whippet, like I mentioned above; it may have pictures useful to you.

[Stevesopwith]

Thanks Jakko, that will be a very useful resource... one I hadn't seen.

A timely bit of information that the floor was probably planked, not metal... so some scribing and wood texturing is the very next job.

It also clarifies the 'steering wheel' arrangement, and many other details.

Cheers.